Everyone Active
At a Glance
Sector: Leisure
Organisation: Everyone Active
People: More than 17,000 colleagues
Locations: 265 sites across the UK
Key Outcomes
+ More than 14,000 colleagues onboarded within seven weeks, some 74% of the workforce
+ Outstanding General Manager engagement at 98%
+ Approximately 9,400 monthly active users in the first full month
+ 73 sites achieve more than 80% employee onboarding
+ 62% of General Managers report less than 10% of workplace comms now take place on WhatsApp
Everyone Active
Connecting 17,000 colleagues with Everyone Connect
Overview
Work Networks partnered with Everyone Active to launch Everyone Connect, creating a single, accessible digital workplace for more than 17,000 colleagues across 265 sites. With most frontline colleagues previously without corporate email and communication heavily reliant on managers and WhatsApp, the programme focused on making the platform useful enough to change established ways of working. Within seven weeks, more than 14,000 colleagues had onboarded and 98% of General Managers were participating, while 62% of General Managers now report that less than 10% of workplace communication takes place on WhatsApp.
The Challenge
Everyone Active has more than 17,000 colleagues working across 265 sites, from leisure centres and swimming facilities to theatres, libraries and even a dry ski slope.
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Before the launch of Everyone Connect, only around 3,200 colleagues had access to corporate email. For everyone else, communication relied heavily on managers cascading information, noticeboards, word of mouth and WhatsApp.
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In a pre-launch survey, 64% of General Managers reported that at least three-quarters of their workplace communication took place through WhatsApp. Everyone Active wanted to change this by creating one accessible place where every colleague could stay informed, connected and involved, regardless of their role, location or access to corporate technology.
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But improving frontline employee engagement wasn't simply about introducing another communications channel. Everyone Connect needed to be useful enough to replace established ways of working, with local managers actively involved in making that change happen.
“Knowing we're creating a space where every colleague can access the information they need, when they need it, while also having a genuine voice within the company, is exactly why this project matters. Work Networks have been 100% committed in driving our colleague-first approach.”
Michelle Hendry, Internal Communications and Engagement Manager
The Solution
Work Networks partnered with Everyone Active to implement and launch Everyone Connect, powered by Flip, with one principle at the heart of the programme: colleague first.
The platform was designed around how people actually work. Organisation-wide communications sit alongside local and specialist channels, giving colleagues access to information that is relevant to their role, team and location.
It also provides a practical route into everyday services, including payroll, rotas, training and colleague benefits. Giving people a reason to return, rather than simply a reason to register, was an important part of the approach.
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Making managers integral to the change
General Managers were central to the approach. Rather than simply asking managers to promote the new platform, Work Networks and Everyone Active invested time in helping them understand how Everyone Connect could support them and their teams.
This extended into operational areas, where local managers are responsible for large numbers of colleagues working shorter or varied hours. And into role-based areas, such as aquatics, who are located country wide but need updates relevant to their specialisation.
Senior leaders also became active participants, posting content, recognising colleagues and responding directly to frontline teams.
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Removing barriers to adoption
Work Networks supported the implementation, launch and adoption programme, from platform structure and technical guidance to manager engagement, colleague access and launch support. A significant part of the work involved making sure colleagues could access the platform, including self-employed instructors who did not sit within Everyone Active's standard employee data.
The project exposed opportunities to improve payroll and IT data. Cleaning and validating colleague records created a more reliable payroll-led source of truth that will support future technology programmes. Practical barriers were addressed too. For example, a direct password-reset route was introduced to make it easier for colleagues to access payroll through Everyone Connect.
After launch, adoption data helped identify sites requiring additional support. Direct conversations and site visits were used to understand barriers, resolve issues and maintain momentum. Local managers also began encouraging friendly competition between sites, creating their own 100% Club as teams worked towards full adoption.
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The Impact
The response was immediate. Everyone Connect achieved 25% adoption on Day One, rising to 75% within the first month. Within seven weeks, more than 14,000 colleagues had onboarded, with 98% of General Managers participating and 73 sites achieving over 80% adoption.
General Manager engagement was particularly strong, reaching 91% in the first week. It demonstrated the value of treating managers as an important audience for change, not simply the people responsible for delivering it.
For thousands of colleagues without corporate email or work phones, the impact goes beyond adoption figures. Everyone Connect gives them a direct route into the wider organisation for the first time.
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Changing established ways of working
Perhaps the most significant outcome is the shift away from WhatsApp. Before launch, 64% of General Managers reported that at least three-quarters of their workplace communication took place through WhatsApp. Following launch, 62% of General Managers now report that less than 10% of their workplace communication takes place on WhatsApp.
Conversations have moved into Everyone Connect. Colleagues are using it to contact central teams, share feedback, raise issues and suggest improvements. Communication is becoming something frontline colleagues can participate in, rather than something simply delivered to them.
" Involving our middle managers early in the process and securing their buy-in with a focused launch event, has helped the whole organisation embrace the change. I’m thrilled to see such an immediate and positive reduction in WhatsApp work messages, returning the popular app to personal use.”
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Michelle Hendry, Internal Communications and Engagement Manage
Everyone Connect is becoming part of everyday working life, replacing fragmented communication with a more accessible, consistent way for colleagues to connect, find information and get things done. The early adoption figures are impressive. The bigger impact is what that connection now makes possible.
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What's Next
Everyone Active continues to build on the launch momentum, helping local teams develop more distinctive, personalised and on-brand content.
Work Networks is supporting the communications team in exploring additional Flip functionality and identifying opportunities to make Everyone Connect even more useful to colleagues and the wider organisation. The focus is now on embedding the platform into everyday working life, maintaining engagement and continuing to improve the employee experience.
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